A friend of mine recently recommended the Young Explorer's Adventure Guides and I immediately
fell in love with them. Not only are these stories chock full of excitement and
adventure but each character is unique. Whether an alien, robot or human, this collection of short stories will take the reader to new places and inspire us all to remember that
we each have our own story to tell. I asked the minds behind the Guides, Corie and
Sean Weaver, to tell us more about them.
What inspired you to create a science
fiction adventure anthology for middle grade readers?
Corie's
friend, who happens to have the most amazing daughter anyone would ever hope to
meet, was looking for sci fi books for younger readers with a strong female
protagonist who's not out to be rescued or looking for romance. There was a
depressing lack of titles that fit those two simple criteria. Corie, being the
walking idea factory she is, woke up one morning and said, "We should start
a publishing company." Not having had my first cup of coffee, I said,
"Of course. That makes all the sense in the world." And so Dreaming Robot Press was born. The next morning, Corie woke up and said, "We should
publish an anthology for middle grade readers." The previous day's coffee
had long since worn off, and I hadn't gotten around to refilling for that day,
so I said, "That, too, makes all the sense in the world. After all, we now
own a publishing company." After publishing the first Young Explorer's Adventure Guide, we questioned the sanity of trying to publish an annual
anthology
and wondered if there was going to be a second collection.
Then the emails and letters started coming in from kids and their parents telling us how
much they enjoyed the Guide. I'll be honest, both of us were in tears reading
the notes from the kids. We decided there was no question, we'll continue to
publish the Explorer's Guide until we're old and frail.
Are there specific things you look for in
a story when putting the Guides together?
How are you getting the word out about
the Adventure Guides?
Each
year, we run a Kickstarter campaign to launch the upcoming Explorer's Guide
(look for it sometime late summer). Corie also appears on several con panels to
talk about the importance of diversity and representation in science fiction
and we run ads in various media. We're always so grateful to hear about the
word getting out organically; readers enjoying the collection and telling their
friends.
Can you tell us about yourself?
When you were growing up,
were there specific authors who influenced you?
One of Corie's favorite writers was
Nancy Cress, so we're delighted she has been in most of the anthologies and has
been a strong believer in the Young Explorer's Guide mission. Corie says her
list of authors is too long and would never fit in a standard interview (she is
very seldom seen without a book in hand). My tastes were quite a bit different
from Corie's. I read Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath in middle school,
which started a love of American modernist literature (I didn't use the term
American modernist literature in middle school - I was already picked on
enough).
Were there specific stories
or characters that you related to?
I'm
going to answer in a way a little different than the intent of your question.
Corie and I feel strongly that all readers - girls, boys - from different
cultures and backgrounds, of different abilities, carbon or silicone based,
should be able to easily find stories where they can identify with the
characters. More importantly, readers should be able to identify with
characters who are not like them. Studies show people who read or attend the
theater have a higher level of empathy than those who don't. We need girls and young
people from underrepresented populations to believe they are an important part
of our future, and we need young readers who are not part of these groups to
believe everyone - everyone - should be able to dream, aspire and
achieve.
Dreaming Robot Press is a cool name! Is there a story behind that?
As
a matter of fact, there is! I'll let Corie tell this story: When we started the
publishing company, NASA lost
contact with the Mars rover Pathfinder. I love the Mars rovers and get
completely absorbed by them (Sean's note: she really, really does). So I
told myself, “It’s just taking a nap.” In my head, the rovers have had
engineers around them, talking to them and putting their thoughts and love into
this creature, and then they go off on their missions, break down, and take
long naps. What do rovers dream? If they were children, what would they want to
read about? It’s not really a Philip K. Dick reference, but that was certainly
in the back of our heads. And then we got the logo illustration, and it was
exactly what we’d imagined.
Dreaming Robot Press also publishes middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy novels. Can you tell us about them?
We have three books out right now, The Seventh Crow, where a mysterious crow helps fourteen-year-old Rosinda navigate a forgotten world filled
with startling revelations, Demon Girl's Song, a young adult tale of Andín dal Rovi, who wants to escape her small town
life. Instead of escape, she gets a thousand-year-old demon stuck in her
head, and she loses everything – her home, her family and her country, and A Witch's Kitchen, a story of a young witch who can't do magic, but is an amazing
cook. When Millie conjures chocolate sauce
instead of a transformation potion, her mother gives up and sends her to the
Enchanted Forest School, where she’s bullied by goblins, snubbed by an elf, and
has her hat stolen. We have two more coming out this year, Twain's Treasure, where
Alex April and his friend Bones are haunted into an adventure by the ghost of
Mark Twain, and A Pixie's Promise, a sequel to A Witch's Kitchen, where Petunia, lost at home among her bazillion brothers, sisters,
and cousins, must figure out how to change the formula to save the
Enchanted Forest while living up to all the promises she’s made.
Any thoughts on the story
telling world today?
The
wonderful thing about stories is they are so ingrained in who we are as humans.
Cave paintings from 40,000 years ago told a story. Homer told a story. Shakespeare told stories.
Cress tells stories. Each and every one of us tells stories. Every day. The
delivery of humanity's stories will continue to evolve through different media,
but the core importance of story telling will never change.
Any advice for aspiring writers?
Several
years ago, I worked for a short stint as a studio manager for an artist. One
day while we were working, I asked him, "What's the key to becoming a
successful artist?" He didn't hesitate. "Stick around long enough to
where people take you seriously." It was not the answer I expected, but
there was a lot of truth to what he said. It's too easy to give up. Anyone who
chooses to follow a creative passion puts herself or himself out to the world
and is judged, criticized and rejected. Then they give up. DON'T GIVE UP!!!! If
you have a passion for something, chase it. Live it. When you're knocked down,
stand up and tell the world it hasn't seen the last of you. Note that you're not
giving up. Here's some practical advice: 1) keep writing. It's amazing how many
people we've met who call themselves writers but haven't put a single paragraph
down on paper (or screen). Writing is a craft and must be developed. You're not
going to pick up a guitar and be a rock star the same day. Practice. Every day.
2) Turn off the TV. It's nature's perfect time destroyer. 3) Join a crit group.
Not just any crit group. Find a crit group that isn't afraid to tell you the
truth (diplomatically, of course). Sure the truth hurts sometimes, but it will
make you a better writer. Keep in mind your mother, father, relatives, and dogs
are contractually obligated to tell you how wonderful you are (and you are
wonderful). Find people who will really make you think about your writing. 4)
When submitting, read the submission guidelines. Every publisher has them. They
want you to read them. It gives you a leg up. And you don't look silly
submitting something that has nothing to do with what the publisher wants to
see. 5) Editors are your friends. They live to make your story the best it can
be. 6) Be professional. It will help you get to that "stick around long
enough to where people take you seriously" a lot more quickly.
They're on our website at Dreaming Robot Press , on Amazon and can be ordered from any bookstore.
That’s
great! Thank you Sean and Corie. And to all life forms, silicone or carbon, or
not yet discovered, be sure to check out the the Young Explorer's Adventure Guides!
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